Stewart takes Sununu to task over spending

I have to admit that when Obama won the presidency, I was wondering how the few prominent left-wing voices would react and adjust. Well, so far, so good.

Jon Stewart hasn't lost his sardonic wit or the ability to tell a politician "eff you" with a smile on his face. The latest example was when former Sen. John Sununu (R-NH) appeared on the show to rail against the Democratically controlled Congress' spending. Well, it didn't take Stewart long to point out the rank hypocrisy involved in such whining, and I loved every minute of it.

My favorite part in the clip above is when Stewart points out Republicans' way of thinking regarding spending: "It's as if history starts RIGHT NOW." Very well said - how much money have we spent in Iraq and Afghanistan to date? With interest, into the trillions, when these wars are all said and done, and we don't seem to be close in either case. (The worst part about it is that we don't seem to have anything to show for either war, but that's another topic.) Kudos to Stewart for also pointing out the Bush tax cuts which were rammed through Congress with Republican majorities in both houses - these will also cost taxpayers into the trillions, with interest.

Yet, overnight, Republicans are trying to re-don their traditional "fiscal conservative" robes after eight years under Bush of virtual blank-check spending (and this includes ill-advises tax cuts). Clearly Stewart isn't buyin' it. Neither am I, and you shouldn't, either. If there's ever been a case where deficit spending is necessary, it's right now.

Personally, I don't think Obama's plan went far enough. I think we're going to see a whole lot more spending in an attempt to dig us out of this hole. I don't know if it's going to work, and President Obama probably doesn't, either. But, at least he's taking action, which is a whole lot better than inaction.